Renewed calls for air service to Cobar
Wednesday January 20, 2010
Figures obtained by Member for Barwon Kevin Humphries show the state government would spend approximately the same amount on public servants’ travel if air services were reinstated to western areas.
Mr Humphries said a Freedom of Information search has revealed many government agencies have reduced visits to regional towns, including Cobar, since the air services were ceased.
A comparison by Mr Humphries for a government service to drive to Cobar compared with flying showed that it was actually $88.78 cheaper to travel by air, and almost five hours quicker.
He said the figures are further evidence that the NSW Government should underwrite an air service for the region.
“This is in line with what we’ve said from the start - while ever western NSW lacks air travel options our regional services will go backwards and western NSW simply can’t afford to take any more steps back,” Mr Humphries said.
With a number of agencies organising charter aircraft and co-ordinating with other agencies to fill vacant seats, Mr Humphries has long advocated using this money to underwrite a full air service for the whole community.
Mr Humphries said the actual number of agency staff indicating they would use air travel if given access to a commercial air service was even higher than he first thought.
“Agencies indicated they could fill a total of 2,471 return seats from Bourke, Cobar and Walgett to Dubbo alone.
“My proposal has always been that the government underwrites these tickets and puts a commercial air service to tender.”
He said discussions with the mining industry at Cobar confirmed 1,000 additional return tickets, so that each flight would have a substantial number of seats ‘pre-sold’, minimising the commercial risk for the operator.
With the study showing little price difference between a return journey by air and road, Mr Humphries believed it would be a win/win for both the community and the government.
“Vehicle costs and the added expense of overnight accommodation are on par with the price of a return ticket.
He said agency staff also identified a number of indirect costs associated with the extra travel time now associated with the delivery of government services.
These included difficulties attracting staff to vacant positions, staff reluctance to spend the time required to travel to communities, a reduction in face-to-face hours, social issues associated with further isolation of remote communities and the added dangers associated with excessive hours spent driving.
“The conclusion was that there may actually be savings associated with government agencies having access to air services when travelling to remote locations, which is what I’ve been saying all along.”
He said the lack of travel options was affecting local councils, health services, the Department of Education and Training, Department of Community Services and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, as well as many more.
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